Which Foods Should You Avoid During Pregnancy That Cause Bloating?

Bloating during pregnancy is unfortunately the norm rather than exception. No matter how irritating it can be, you cannot just escape. The good news is that bloating during pregnancy is generally normal and not a cause of worry and secondly, you can reduce the severity and frequency of bloating by avoiding certain foods. Read on to know about these food items.

Like most other pregnancy-related issues, hormonal changes in your body are the prime culprits behind bloating too. As the pregnancy advances, increased levels of the hormone progesterone make your digestive tract slow which leads to gas and bloating.

Diet Tips to Reduce Bloating During Pregnancy

Make some changes in your diet by avoiding or decreasing the consumption of these food items to avoid or reduce bloating:

1. Oily and Spicy Foods

Food that is very oily, spicy, deep fried and has high-fat content is not easily digested during pregnancy and causes bloating. If you can’t avoid such food items altogether, you must reduce their consumption.

2. Fibre-rich Foods

While fibre is a great remedy for constipation during pregnancy, it can cause bloating. You should increase your intake of fibre gradually so that your body adapts to it and doesn’t cause too much bloating.

3. Soda & Caffeinated Drinks

Drinks containing soda and caffeine should be avoided as much as possible.

4. Alcoholic Drinks

Alcohol should also be on your no-go zone to avoid bloating as well as a range of other issues.

5. Drinking liquids during meals

An important tip is to stop drinking liquids or water with food. Always drink water between meals to avoid bloating.

6. Salty Foods

Excessive amount of sodium leads to water retention in the body thereby causing bloating. You should reduce your consumption of very salty foods.

7. Milk

Although milk is an important contributor to your nutritional needs during pregnancy, especially calcium and protein, it can cause gas. You should reduce its quantity but at the same time supplement with other sources of calcium and protein if it is causing bloating.

8. Heavy Meals

Along with the food items to avoid, it is very important that you don’t take 2-3 heavy meals during the day as it causes gas build up in the body. You should instead split your daily diet into 5-6 smaller meals. Some other common gas-causing foods are cheese, lentils, beans, raisins, onions and prunes.

To conclude, you can manage bloating during pregnancy by making these dietary changes and following healthy eating habits.